Transcript - Caboolture doorstop | Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure

ANTHONY CHISHOLM: Ready to go. It’s great to be with Minister King here in Caboolture at AKD and second time I’ve been to this facility in recent years. It’s fantastic to see one them go from strength-to-strength of 100 new employees, but also the additional money that the Federal Government put in to enable this plant to grow and provide more timber. Obviously, it’s a critical industry and it’s one that’s really important to the challenges that we face as a nation. And it’s really pleasing that the City Government was able to make a contribution to that to ensure that they continue to grow. I’ll hand over to Minister King.

CATHERINE KING: Thanks very much, Anthony. It’s great to be here in Caboolture. This is a terrific story about expansion of workforce investment by the Federal Government that enables this industry to really make sure that it can grow the demand of plantation timber that’s actually milling so we can get that out the door for the construction industry. [Indistinct] by the Government has committed over $25 billion to build more homes because we know [indistinct] and this industry is critical to that. It’s great to be here today, alongside Senator Chisholm, but more importantly the AKD workforce who are actually working to support the construction industry. Happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST: South East Queensland, of course, the population is booming here. How big an issue from a federal perspective is the population growth given the lack of housing we do have in this region?

CATHERINE KING: Well, housing supply is a significant issue right the way across the country and that of course includes South East Queensland because of growth that is occurring through this corridor. Of course, it’s a beautiful part of the world, why wouldn’t you want to come and live here? But of course, that supply is an issue and it is an issue everywhere. It’s why we’ve invested over $25 billion in land [indistinct] to really get supply in the industry, the housing affordability future fund who are [indistinct] right at the moment. [indistinct] Both have been really important initiatives in the Australian Government and those are really important alongside the plans that we [indistinct].

JOURNALIST: Last week the State Government called a defence to putting a bit more money toward stage one of the Sunshine Coast Rail Line – is there anything that could delay that process at all?

CATHERINE KING: So the process of that is [indistinct] technical structure.

JOURNALIST: From a federal perspective, is there any concern about, I guess the lack of construction of Olympic infrastructure given it’s only eight years away? Is that a concern to you?

CATHERINE KING: No, we understand that Queenslanders are [indistinct] I’ve also been ready to start construction.

[indistinct] have a really good run, after all that infrastructure, particularly on those minor venues, so a number of those are all really close to being ready to start construction and I know that [indistinct].

JOURNALIST: Employment Minister Tony Burke has racked up a $57,000 bill on a four-day trip to the US. Is that a reasonable amount to spend?

CATHERINE KING: Well, the Australia-American Leadership dialogue is actually a very important dialogue, there are multiple long-term relationships that occur between Australia and the US, so they are a strategically important department to us. All government [indistinct]

JOURNALIST: Richard Miles the Defence Minister spent just half that in a similar trip [indistinct].

CATHERINE KING: Well again, [indistinct].

JOURNALIST: Just lastly, the Greens want billions spent on building more affordable housing while scrapping negative gearing and capital gains tax exemptions. Why won’t your party support scrapping those taxes?

CATHERINE KING: Well, the first thing I’d say is that put out once again, a fantasy policy, a policy that [indistinct].

JOURNALIST: Are Australian house prices reasonable?

CARHERINE KING: Well I think if you’re anywhere whether it’s in the regions of South East Queensland, [indistinct] we are. [indistinct]